Virtual worlds go DIY

19 Sep 2007

Users will be able to create and share their own personal virtual worlds with Metaplace, launched yesterday, a platform that doesn’t require any programmer or developer skills, and can be used on a mobile device as well as a PC.

While virtual environments such as Second Life and World of Warcraft are popular, unlike Metaplace they do not allow the user to create their own world but rather join a pre-existing one controlled by the creator.

This platform also allows the creator of a Metaplace virtual world to manipulate their world on the web by placing elements of it in their blog or website because each virtual world is a server and every object within it acts as a link.

The applications could run from gaming to advertising or anything in between.

Raph Koster, president of Areae, the company that developed Metaplace, said that he would like to see the platform applied as a teaching tool, or in the long run that someone might create a virtual world that would surpass World of Warcraft in size.

So far the platform is in beta testing and is rendered in 2d while 3d representation is in development.

Koster addressed the ‘cute’ graphics and interface of Metaplace saying the fans of MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online games) like Warcraft would still find this appealing.

Metaplace is not available for downloading at present and requires interested users to sign up for alpha testing.